In a sauce pan, combine the chicken stock and thyme. Over moderately high heat, simmer until the stock reduces to a fairly thick, sauce like consistency. This will take about 1 hour and can be prepared ahead ot time. The reduced thyme sauce should coat the back of a spoon when finished. Set aside.

While sauce reduces, prepare the olive paste (see recipe below). Then spread the paste evenly on the underside of the chicken breasts.

Cut the potatoes into quarters.

In a saute pan, heat olive oil until nearly smoking. Carefully place breasts in pan, skin side down, and allow the skin to sear. Add potatoes to the saute pan and place in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 8 to 12 minutes or until chicken centers are no longer pink. Stir potatoes after the first 6 minutes of cooking time to brown evenly, and add the olives to the pan when you stir the potatoes.

Transfer cooked chicken to a cutting board, skin side down, and slice each chicken breast half into three even pieces.

Arrange the chicken pieces, skin side up, on 4 dinner plates and place olives and potatoes around the chicken.

Gently bring the thyme sauce back to a simmer, spoon sauce evenly over chicken and serve. Serves 4.